The political violence in Bangladesh cannot be read in isolation. It is the product of years of political repression by the Sheikh Hasina government. With Hasina fleeing the country and the Bangladesh Army likely to form an interim government, it will be interesting to see how the current political landscape unfolds.
Bangladesh is in the midst of severe violence. Hundreds of the country’s citizens have lost their lives. The protests began soon after the 5 June 2024 judgement by the High Court, in which it reinstated the 30 per cent quota for descendants of war veterans who fought against the Pakistani establishment in 1971 to liberate the country. The judgment also maintained the quota for the other weaker section of the country’s population. The university students mainly led the protest against this judgement.
The quota system was first introduced in Bangladesh in 1972 by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. For many critics of the system, it unfairly benefits pro-government families. In 2018, Sheikh Hasina’s government abolished the reservations following protests. In its June 2024 judgement, the High Court reinstated the quota deeming its abolition illegal. The government appealed against the decision. The Appellate Division maintained a status quo on the High Court’s decision. Later, the Supreme Court, in its judgement on 21 July 2024, directed that 93 per cent of government jobs should be based on merit, five per cent to be reserved for the descendants of war veterans and two per cent reserved for members of the ethnic minorities, transgenders and disabled people. The student groups welcomed the judgement but decided to continue their demonstrations until their key demands, including the release of those jailed and the resignations of the officials responsible for using violence, are accepted by the government.
In dealing with the protests, Hasina seemed to forget the country’s history. Bangladesh was primarily the product of the students’ struggle. In 1948, 1952, 1960s and 1971, the students fought against the Pakistani establishment for the rights of the citizens. In 1971, the Pakistan Army’s early target, under ‘Operation Searchlight’, was Dhaka University’s hostels, fully realising the power of the students.
When confronted by the students’ protests and demands, instead of addressing their issues and the growing political disenchantment, Hasina tried to delegitimise the protestors by demonising them as Razakars (militia who supported the Pakistan Army during the 1971 Liberation War). Hasina retorted, “If the grandchildren of the freedom fighters don’t get quota benefits, should the grandchildren of Razakars get the benefit?” However, such labelling did little to break the protestor’s resolve and they remained defiant
(Continue)
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário